Structural block and wall construction



April 23, 1940. MUlRHEAD 2,198,011

' RUGTURAL BLO GK AND WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 5, 1958 3Sheets-sheet 1 April 23, 1940. MUIRHE'AD 2,198,011

STRUCTURAL BLOCK AND WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 3, 1958 3sheets-Sheet? April 23, 1940. HE D 2,198,011

STRUCTURAL BLOCK AND WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. s, 1938 3 Sheen-Sheet5 I Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES nt n STRUCTURAL BLOCK AND WALL7 CONSTRUCTION Donald M. Muirhead, Duxbury, Mass.

Application November 3, 1938, Serial No. 238,581

4 Claims.

My present invention relates to the construction of foundation and otherwalls and to concrete or celnent blocks for use in one or more coursesof the walls. More particularly, it aims to provide for insulating orshielding such Walls against upward travel from below by insects such astermites, as well as to afford additional protection against the seepageof moisture into cellars and buildings.

In the drawings illustrating by way of example certain embodiments ofthe invention;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a foundation wall, showing a portion ofthe inside face as viewed from above, including two corner portions, anintermediate section being omitted to conserve space;

Fig. 2 is a section as on the line 2-2 of Fig, 1-

Fig. 2a is anenlarged section through a portion of one of my blocks toillustrate a detail;

Fig. 3 shows in perspective another section of a wall, which may be thesame as that of Fig. 1, illustrating more particularly the constructionadjacent windows and doors or other openings; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 areperspective viewsof a block or unit embodying the invention and as usedat different locations;

7 shows the lower portion of a foundation or cellar wall together with abase course of my novel blocks forming the under support for the framingof partitions and the like;

Fig. 8 is a section as on the line 8-3 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the blocks of Figs. 7 and 8; and

Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate fractional or filler blocks.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1 and the detail Figs. 2, 2a.and 4 to 6, the wall-there shown may be any foundation wall set on orinto the ground, such as that for the cellar of a dwelling or otherbuilding. While the blocks will have their major use in such foundationsthey may however be employed in other wall forma tions. The wall isrepresented as formed in the main of concrete blocks S of standard sizeand form, the common size for whichis the so-called 8x8x16 inch block.Actually said standard blocks are usually 8 inches wide by 7% incheshigh by 15% inches long, A inch being allowed in the height and thelength to accommodate the mortar, cement or other binder.

In association with such wall, whether of the separate block orintegrally poured or other type including the various masonryconstructions, I provide in accordance with my invention one 01' morespecial courses composed of blocks of a novel construction andarrangement as herein illustrated by way of example. One such coursedesirably is disposed as an upper or the top course for the Wall.Preferably also, and as shown in Fig. 1, a generally similar course isalso provided at a lower point, such as the bottom course, havingcontact with the ground. For the purposes of description the ordinaryblocks such as the blocks S will be referred to herein as standardblocks, While the novel blocks of my invention will be termedtheinterlocking channel blocks, including regular blocks R and one ormore special types such as the corner blocks C and others to bedescribed.

One of my interlocking channel blocks R of the regular type, such asshown in the top and bottom courses of Fig. 1, is illustrated separatelyin Fig. 4. It is of general rectangular shape and conforms as a whole tothe standard blocks S, being so dimensioned as to have the same widthand same total volume as the latter. These blocks R are constructed tohave an interlocking relation endwise, by means of projecting portionsadapted to overlap endwise one With another, across the entire width ofeach block.

For this purpose each block is formed with a recess 2 at one end andwith a corresponding tongue or projection 3 at the opposite end. Saidprojectionis of the same shape and volume as that of the recess 2, as ifthe material from said recess were added in the same shape and at thesame level at the other end. This results in the provision of a tongueor projection i at the end having the recess 2 and a correspondingrecess 5 at the other end, below the tongue 3 and of the same shape andvolume as the tongue 4. The

end faces of said recesses 2 and 5 are vertical or substantially so andperpendicular to their bottom faces, the latter forming the horizontalor inner faces of the tongues 3 and 4. As inthe standard so-called 8x81; 16 inch blocks S there is a A inch allowance in height and lengthto provide for the mortar or other binding material. To simplify thedescription this inch allowance willbe disregarded in the dimensionsgiven by way of example.

As readily seen in Fig. 4, the tongues 3 and l and so also the recesses2 and 5 are of the same extent lengthwise the block. Where as hereassumed the blocks R are for use with standard' blocks S the length ofthe blocks R from the outer or end face of one tongue, either 3 or 4, tothe inner or end face of the longitudinally opposite recess 2 or 5respectively is the same as the overall length of a standard block S,namely 16 inches. Hence the main horizontal faces of these blocks R areof the standard 8 x 16 inch dimensions.

The length of the tongues and of the recesses, that is, their extent inthe direction lengthwise the block as a whole, may be any convenient figure consistent with the general principles of concrete structure. andsuch that the resulting tongues are of substantial volume and havesufficient union with the main body of the block to avoid any likelihoodof unintentional breaking off of the tongue. One dimension for therecesses and the tongues which I have found entirely satisfactory,referring still. to my blocks for use with standard sized blocks isapproximately 3 inches, thus leaving the central or main section of theblock, that is, the portion which is of uniform 8 inch heightthroughout, of 13 inches in length.

Likewise the vertical dimension of the recesses 2 and 5 and of thetongues 4 and 3 may be varied, again having consideration of thestrength factors and the character of the material. The tongues at thetwo opposite ends of the blocks R may be of the same height, each 4-.inches or onehalf the total length of the block. Butbecause of theprovision of the longitudinal channel Ill along one or both side facesof the block and of a height of about one-quarter that of the block, inother words, about two inches, for a purpose to be described, I find itdesirable to make one tongue, such as the element 4 at the left in Fig.4, of less height than the other, such as the tongue 3 at the right inFig. 4.

In said example shown in Fig. 4 the tongue 4 is approximately 3 inchesin height and the tongue 3 has a height of approximately 5 inches. Therecess 2 at the end having the tongue 4 accordingly is 5 inches inheight and the recess 5, at the other end, having the tongue 3, has aheight of 3 inches. In other words the recess 2 is carried down about 1inch below mid-height of the block, and so also is the thicker tongue 3.This allows the channel In to be symmetrically disposed, vertically,with respect to the portion of the block above'the shallower tongue 4,and with respect to the wider tongue 3. Any interruption of thehorizontal faces of the tongues 4 and 3 by the channel formation l0hence is avoided.

One purpose of the channel H] is to afford initial provision on a wallformed with my blocks for the installation of a metallic shield such asindicated in dotted lines at I I in Fig. 2 for blocking or insulatingthe wall against the upward travel of insects, particularly termites. Byreason of the channel 10 this shield or guard element may be installedon the wall at any desired time, either during the construction of thewall or at any later occasion when the need arises.

It is a fact that termites, in seeking a path to the wooden elements ofbuildings, avoid the light. Hence when the upper course or courses of afoundation wall are above ground, as assumed in connection with Figs. 1and 3, the outside face of such top portion accordingly being exposed tothe light, provision for termite insulation is necessary only at theinner face of the wall. Therefore the shield-receiving channel formation10 for my blocks generally need be supplied only at the inner faces ofthe blocks, as positioned in the wall. But in any case where insulationmay be desirable at both faces of the wall, as where the upper course isbelow the outside ground level or is concealed by porches, terraces orthe like, the insulation-receiving channel lll may be formed at bothside faces of my blocks, in a generally similar manner as illustratedfor example in Figs. '7 to 9.

The channel l0 extends continuously for the full length of the main bodyof the blocks R and is of adequate size in cross section, about 2 incheshigh by 1 inches deep, to receive the inner or securing portion of themetallic shield II. The latter, see Fig. 2, comprises an elongated stripof sheet metal, preferably non-corrosive, such as copper or Monel metal,having its inner end upset as at I la and received against the innervertical face of the channel H). An intermediate portion of the metalinsulating strip II extends outwardly substantially horizontally fromthe back wall of the channel, across the bottom wall of the latter andoutwardly beyond the main vertical face of the block R. The outer edgeportion of the strip is down-turned at an angle,v at some distance fromthe face of the block, substantially as represented in Fig. 2.

For securing and sealing the metallic insulating strip or shield inposition, whether at the time when the wall is originally constructed orat some later time when the need arises, my blocks R. are formed withshield-anchoring recesses '12, best seen in Figs. 2 and 2a, for thereception of attaching devices such as expansion elements, screws takinginto lead wool, or the like. Said securing recesses 12 extend inwardlyfrom the back face of the channel to a depth of 1 to 3 inches. One ormore such fastener receiving recesses I2 are provided in the channel ofeach block R, two being represented in the present example. Thehorizontal or top and bottom walls of the channl may be somewhatinclined outwardly and oppositely, as best seen in Fig. 2a, tofacilitate removal of the blocks from the forms in which they are cast.

When the insect shield H is installed the channel 10 is sealed aroundthe inner or anchoring portion of the shield by filling it with a richmixture of cement, preferably both below and above the intermediatehorizontal portion of the shield. The intimate contact of the upsetflange Ila of the shield with the inner face of the channel as efi'ectedby the anchoring screws or the like passing through said upset flangeand into the anchorage recesses l2, together with the filling materialsupplied in the channel, block any possible passage by insects betweenthe shield and the wall. The projecting or eavelike portion of theshield prevents travel upwardly across it, since it apparently isimpossible for termites to tube around a sharply projecting edge such asthat of the shield illustrated in Fig. 2.

In the use of my blocks in the particular course or courses of the wallfor which they are selected, such as the top and bottom courses of Fig.1, they are laid end to end with the tongues 3 and 4 of abutting bloc-ksinterlocking. The thicker tongues 3 fit into the deeper recesses 2 ofthe adjacent block, the same being true to the shallower tongues 4 andthe corresponding recesses 5. Thus the tongues 3 and 4 at the abuttingends of adjacent blocks complement each other and together provide asubstantially solid mass of uniform height with the remainder of theblocks.

The channels I 0 of the aligned blocks in the same course togetherprovide a continuous channel formation along the entire face of the walstanding in readiness for the reception of the insect shield at any timewhen the danger of an infestation develops. The interlockingconstruction for the block ends produces an end joint having verticalfaces longitudinally offset, as contrasted with the ordinary plain jointbetween the standard blocks S. This effectively blocks the end jointagainst upward travel by termites, since it would require them toconstruct their tubes at two abrupt angles, herein right angles, andalso to penetrate the horizontal. or bed joint provided between theoverlapped'portions of the two adjoining blocks. Such bed joints arefilled and sealed by the cement or mortar binder to a substantialcertainty in the proper construction of the wall.

The problem of corners and corner joints for the courses formed ofmyinterlocking blocks R is taken care of by the provision of cornerblocks C, Figs. 1 and 2. These have one of their ends the same as for myregular blocks R, including the thicker tongues 3. At the other ends ofthese corner blocks C the shallower tongues 4 are omitted, as best seenat the upper left portions of Figs. 1 and 2, providing a flat face, asindicated at l5. This allows the blocks C to come flush with the outerface of a portion of the wall at right angles to the portion in whichthe corner block is laid. At the inner face of the straight end I5 ofthe corner blocks 0 the latter are recessed as at 16, Figs. 1 and 2, toreceive the thicker tongue 3 of a block R to be set at right angles inthe same course. Such recess I 6 accordingly has a dimension of 8 inchesin the direction lengthwise the corner block, conforming to the width ofthe block R to be received. and has a vertical depth ofl5 inches andlateral extent or depth of 3 inches, corresponding to the dimensions ofthe tongue 3. It will be noted that the channel ll] of the corner blocksC opens into the recess l6, so that the shield-receiving channelformation for the wall as a whole is continued uninterruptedly into andthrough the wall corners.

In the base course for the wall, at the bottom inFig. 1, my regularchanneled and interlocking blocks R and the corresponding corner blocksC are shown as laid in inverted position relative to that in which theyappear in the top course. That is, the blocks R of this bottom courseare like the one shown separatelyin Fig. 4, and their position in saidcourse is that as in Fig. 4 viewed upside down.

The aligning channels ll) of the blocks R and C of the bottom courseprovide a continuous channel formation along the inner face of the wallsimilarly as for the top course but in this case adjacent the bottom ofthe blocks and the base of the wall. If desired a metallic shield may beinserted in this channel formation similarly as in the upper course,with its projecting portion turned oppositely from that of the shield ofFig. 2. Only in rare instances however will such shield be necessary atthe base of the wall.

There the channeling formation Ill primarily serves the importantfunction of providing an intimate seal and interlock with the concretematerial of the cellar or other floor F, Fig. 1. When the floor F islaid the concrete is flowed and packed into the channel 10 thus forminga close bond with the wall itself. This construction, together with thestaggered or interlocking end structure for the blocks R and C of thebase course, makes it extremely difficult for insects such as termitesto gain access to the interior of the cellar about the edge of thefloor,-

between the latter and the blocks. This also effectively blocks entry atsuch point by rats and other vermin which heretofore frequently havebeen able to make their way through the relatively large cracks at thejuncture of the floor and wall, particularly after the structure hasaged and the cracks widened by shrinkage or crumbling of the material.

Turning now more particularly to Fig. 3 I have there shown one manner ofwall treatment at the areas adjacent and particularly below windowopenings and other openings such as indicated at W in Fig. 3. In thecourse immediately below'such opening I substitute one or more of myregular channel and interlocking blocks R,

depending on the lateral extent of the window or other opening.

' ,In Fig. 3, for instance, one regular block R is disposedsubstantially centrally of the opening. At the opposite ends of thisblock R are two blocks which I have indicated respectively as R and RThese are structurally the same as the others of the regular blocks Rbut with one or the other of theirtongue portions removed as by useof adrill or chisel, this being done on the job, at the location where thewall is being constructed. The block R at the right end of the centralblock R of the course underlying the window corre sponds to that shownseparately in Fig. 5, wherein the dotted section at the right indicatesthe removedtongue portion 3. Similarly, the block R at the left of thecentral block R below the window is such as represented separately inFig. 6, wherein the removed tongue 4, at the left end of the block, isindicated by the dotted lines.

This partial course of my channeled interlock-' I to take care of theinterruption of the shield of the top course by the window or likeopening.

The frame 1 for the window, door or other open ing may be set in placein the usual manner and the wall continued upwardly through one'or morecourses of standard blocks S. The top course, formed in its entirety ofmy interfitting channel blocks R and C as already described inconnection with Fig. l, completes the upper portion of the wall,adapting the latter to receive a sill s and the other structural timbersin the usual manner. Where the window or other opening interruptsthe topcourse, regular blocks R with one or the other of their tongues removed,as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, may be used.

In some cases, in order to preserve the desired break-joint relationwith the blocks of the underlying course, fractional or half blocks orfiller units sometimes may be required. My invention contemplates theprovision of such filller' or half blocks in the opposite hands, thatis, both righthand and lefthand. Such half blocks R and R are'shownseparately in Figs. 10 and 11. The block R corresponds to the left halfportion of the regular block R of Fig. 4, being formed with a shallowertongue 4 but with a straight vertical face at its other end. Similarlythe halfblock R corresponds to the right end portion of the regularblock R of Fig. 4, havingone straight end face and having the. thickertongue 3 at its opposite end. Both types of half or filler blocks R andR are provided wtih the channel formation It, as seen in said Figs. 10and 11, and with at least one of the anchoring recesses [2, Figs. 2 and2a, for the shield attaching means.

Another important use for the channeled interlocking blocks of myinvention is illustrated in connection withFigs. '7, 8 and 9. It iscommon practice to erect the uprights for cellar partitions before thecellar floor is poured, this being a job I Suchuprights heretoforegenerally have been set with their ends resting directly on or'in theground or on a 2 x 4 or other wooden member itself laid directly on theground. As a result these framing timbers for the cellar partitions haveprovided easy channels of access for termites.

To avoid such ground contact of the partition framing and at the sametime to make it readily possible to erect this framing prior to pouringthe cellar floor, I provide a single course of my channeled interlockingblocks along the line of the desired partition and as the base for thelatter. In this connection I may use the regular blocks R of Fig. 4, ininverted position as in the base course of Fig. l. Desirably, however, Iprovide for this purpose a block R which is in all respects the same asthe regular blocks R, in-

cluding the channel In at one side face, but having also a similarchannel Illa oppositely disposed in its other side face. Thus the blocksR are such as previously referred to in connection with Fig. l as havingthe channel formation at both faces, for use in upper or top courseswhere the outside of the wall is in contact with the ground or iscovered by terraces, porches or the like.

In laying a partition base, such as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, theblock R at the end of the course, to abut the foundation wall, will haveits tongue 4 removed. If preferred a special block recessed to receivesaid tongue may be provided in the wall. A line of the blocks R is laidend top' and bottom of the wall in Fig. 1. With the blocks positioned asillustrated the channel formations I0 and la come at the lower portionof the block, with the top Walls of the channels flush with the leveldesired for the cellar floor.

When the floor is poured, as indicated at F in Fig. 8, the floormaterial enters and interlocks with the channels of the blocks R forminga seal with the. latter similarly as explained in connection with thebase course in Fig. 1. It will be noted that all contact of woodenpartition members with the ground is thus avoided, despite the fact thatthe partition may be erected before the floor is laid.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiments thereofillustrated and described herein, and I set forth its scope in myfollowing claims.

I claim:

1. Structural blocks for foundation and other walls, each comprising abody of concrete of substantially rectangular form and of a width andheight corresponding to that of standard or other concrete blocks withwhich they are to be used, said blockshaving at one end a recess ofrectangular shape in section lengthwise the blocks and extending acrossthe latter and said blocks having in vertical alignment with the recessa similarly shaped tongue, the recess and tongue together being of theheight of the block, and the opposite ends of said blocks having tonguesof like shape and height and at the same level as the recesses at thefirst ends said opposite ends having recesses of like shape and heightand at the same level as the tongues at said first ends, each of saidblocks having formed along a corresponding side face a straight channelof a crosssectional shape and size to receive the attaching edge of astrip to project freely from the block for barring insect passage, wheresaid blocks are in an upper or intermediate course of a wall, and

to interlock with the poured material of a floor, where said blocks arein the base course of a wall, the channels being so disposed on eachblock as to align as a continuous channel horizontally along an entireseries of the blocks laid end to end in a given course, and the channelof each block having one or more formations for receiving means tosecure such barrier strip edgewise there- 2. Structural blocks forfoundation and other walls, each comprising a body of concrete ofsubstantially rectangular formand of a width and height corresponding tothat of standard or other concrete blocks with whichv they are to beused, said blocks having at one end a recess of rectangular shape insection lengthwise the blocks and extending across the latter and saidblocks having in vertical alignment with the recess a similarly shapedtongue, the recessand tongue together being of the height of the block,u

and the opposite ends of said blocks havin tongues of like shape andheight and at the same level as the recesses at the first ends, saidopposite ends having recesses of like shape and height and at the samelevel as the tongues at said first ends, the tongues and recesses at agiven end being of unequal height, the recess at one end beingcomplemental in height to that. of the tongue at the other, each blockhaving at a corresponding side face a channel having a height and aninward depth of at least about one-fourth the height of a standardblock, said channel extending between and lying within the confines ofthe vertical wall of one end recess of the block and of the verticalwall of the longitudinally opposite tongue.

3. Structural blocks for foundation and other walls, each comprising abody of concrete of substantially rectangular form and of a width andheight corresponding to that of standard or other concrete blocks withwhich they are to be used, said blocks having at one end a recess ofrectangular shape in section lengthwise the blocks and extending acrossthe latter and said blocks having in vertical alignment with the recessa similarly shaped tongue, the recess and tongue together being of theheight of the block, and the opposite ends of said blocks having tonguesof like shape and height and at the same level as the recesses at thefirst ends, said opposite ends having recesses of like shape and heightand atthe same level as the tongues at said first ends, each blockhaving formed along a corresponding side face a straight channel havinga height and inward depth of at least about onefourth the height andwidth of a standard block and at a level such as to position the channelwholly to one side of the plane containing the horizontal faces of theend recesses of the blocks.

4. Structural blocks of concrete or the like each comprising asubstantially rectangular body having a recess and tongue at one end anda complementary tongue and recess at the other end whereby a series ofthe blocks is adapted to be interfitted longitudinally in horizontalalignment, said blocks also each having along corresponding verticalside faces a continuous channel to provide an uninterrupted channelformation along a longitudinally aligned series of the blocks, theconstruction and arrangement of the tongues and recesses in relation tothe channel being such that the channels and recesses do not intersect.

, DONALD M. MUIRHEAD.

